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Valhalla Rising

Valhalla Rising

List Price: $27.95
Your Price: $6.99
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Clive and Dirk's tired
Review: This book appeared to be pieced together from all his other books. No innovation. I love Dirk Pitt novels and have read them all. This might be my last.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Typical Cussler Novel, Implausable but FUN!
Review: What do Vikings, Captain Nemo, time travel, and the worlds most modern cruise ship have in common? Nothing you'd think, but Clive Cussler manages to spin a tale that combines all three in Valhalla Rising.

As a long time reader of the Dirk Pitt novels, I find picking up one of these books is like visiting with an old friend. Fun to "catch up" on their latest adventures. This story is full of typical Pitt stuff, scantily clad ladies, lots of fisticuffs, bullets, badguys, and missles flying, never a dull moment.

While alot of reviewers have commented on how unbelievable some of the story is, you always have to remember it IS fiction and just go with it. If you do, Cussler usually provides a enjoyable read. I liked the surprise ending but hope it doesn't make Dirk a dull boy!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Pitt stories are still fun, but...
Review: This was one of the more enjoyable "newer" Pitt novels (I feel that starting with Dragon and after the books seem to be missing something...)

I also just wanted echo some of the comments I have read in some of the other reviews of Valhalla Rising with respect to the formula of Cussler's books. You won't find anything new here...a meglomanic CEO as the villian, an outrageously evil plan to protect his market share from some kind world saving product (this time a new type of oil), a 30 something well educated love interest for Pitt and the Cussler cameo.

Not sure if I like the new twist introduced at the end or not yet. Kind of a stretch...

Did anyone notice the conversation about how the Titanic sunk in two pieces? I know the real world is different, but didn't Dirk and boys Raise the Titanic...in one piece?

Still love these books though!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Still Clive Cussler - But is that bad or good?
Review: I'm tempted to like this book. I've been an avid reader of Cussler's books since I was given a paperback copy of "Raise the Titanic" more years ago than I can remember. I hate to fall into negativity, but it must be brought up. Cussler's most recent books seem to get bigger and bigger, with even more opulent plans by incredibly wealthy evil men. It almost seems like every book is trying to top the last - and frankly, how do you top saving the world from someone trying to break off a piece of Antarctica? The "good old days" of a scheme to hijack passing ships ("Pacific Vortex") or an evil smuggler ("The Mediterranean Caper") seem to have been replaced by more and more outlandish schemes.

On the other hand, I think we're being unfair to Cussler. Some of his most original early books, such as "Raise the Titanic," "Vixen 03," and "Night Probe!" dealt with unbelievable events like raising an immense liner from the floor of the ocean, a plot to shell the Capitol, or a paper that would meld America and Canada. We've eaten up the products of his imagination for years now. However, I think what it comes down to is that Cussler has become more and more grandiose with his schemes, when really what I think would work better is something slightly more down-to-earth. I'm not implying that Pitt should do something so mundane as save the Des Moines post office from a disgruntled postal worker, but... a good plot doesn't necessarily involve world-saving, and I believe Cussler is straying towards formulaic writing.

That said, I enjoyed Valhalla Rising. It was not so utterly over-the-top as Atlantis Found, although I found the teleportation to be out of place and a bit of a realism-killer. The Verne angle was, however, interesting. At any rate, I feel this book is worth the money for any loyal Pitt fan, and while it may not be Cussler's best, it certainly isn't the worst.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Dirk Pitt and company save the world, again!
Review: Being an ardint fan of Mr. Cussler and have read all of Pitt's amazing adventures, I would say this epic tale is near the top of my favorites. However, some of the story seems cloned from other books he has written. The fiendish villain is again beyond the reach of the law, wealthy beyond belief and has some neferous and murderous blackguards as his henchmen. Plenty of narrow escapes, some classy dames in distress, a terrific dogfight over the concrete canyons of New York City that is a memorable classic.
The mix includes the Jules Verne, the CSS Hunley's tactics, some mad Vikings, madcap inventors, classic automobiles from Pitt's/Cussler's fabulous collection, did I mention some lucious gals and Al's wise cracks?
But, please, no more cameo appearences by Cussler. Enough already. And for Pitt not to recall having met Cussler before is being stretched way out there.
Overall, the package was just right, sub plots, twists and turns, nasty bad guys, narrow brushes with horrible death, a lot of history blended into a great adventure tale. And the attempt to bring the ship into NY harbor, well that was written before the terrible 9/11 attack. Check it out.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Pulse Racing Action-A-Plenty in Valhalla Rising!
Review: Valhalla Rising is an action packed adventure-- a nonstop thrilling read by master storyteller Clive Cussler-- This book is loaded with plenty to keep the reader held captive for hours on end-- Will Dirk Pitt and sidekick Al Glordino get there in time to save 2,000 passengers on the cruise ship 'Golden Dolphin' before it's too late?

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Corny but fun
Review: OK, I just finished it last night. I have read every Cussler book, and in my opinion Flood Tide was the last good one. His last 2 or 3 just seem to be written using a formula. The plots seem to get more and more unbelievable, and the villians more like Batman characters in each book.

I just don't buy into them like I used to. The Viking and Verne things were great, but maybe too much of a good thing for 1 book.

There needs to be more theme and character development, that makes the crescendos all that more exiting. Foreplay if you will.
Like setting up the fast ball with curves and change ups.

That said, I still enjoyed it, it held my attention. and I liked the surprise ending. I still love the discovery of ancient mysteries, and will wait like the Cussler junkie I am for the next one to come out.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Please save your money.
Review: This really seems like comic book material stretched into a serious waste of time. Dirk saves the world too many times to to have such dull dialogue.

The worst element for us was that we unfortunately bought it on cassette. Scott Brick is about the least able reader we have come across in over 100 audiobooks. I hope he has a day job!

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Clusser must of lost his orginial story overboard.
Review: I love reading Clusser novels, but this one was a reach. I understood the imagination and ideas Clusser was orchestrating but the symphony was out of tune. Hopefully, this story doesn't tarnish 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea or the great Dirk Pitt stories of the past. Furthermore, did someone edit this story? I found it a dissappointment to read, between the misspelled words and the timeline of events, at the end of the story, that didn't seem to fit.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Valhalla Rising
Review: As an avid reader of "Dirk Pitt" adventures, I find this the best yet! As always, lots of adventure and surprises. It's just too bad it will be another couple of years before we get to set sail on another adventure with Dirk and Al, and all the others.


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